Acute Respiratory Infection Consortium

Overview

Recently, the emergence and rapid global dissemination of novel swine-origin influenza A virus (H1N1) with unique epidemiologic characteristics has heightened awareness and concern of this viral pathogen, and its potential for major disruption of both civil and military stability. Although advances in medical and scientific technologies have improved our basic understanding of respiratory disease, many questions about the epidemiology and immunology of ARI remain unanswered. This study plans to initiate a multi-site, multi-disciplinary research collaboration, termed the Acute Respiratory Infection Consortium (ARIC) for the purpose of studying the etiology, epidemiology and immunology of influenza-like illness (ILI) in order to describe the natural history and risk factors for disease, as well as the characteristics of the host immune response. At the core of the ARIC is the proposed observational, longitudinal study of the Natural History Study of ILI among active duty military members, healthy retirees, and their dependents recruited from both inpatient and outpatient settings of military treatment facilities (MTF) in the continental US to be followed for a total of four (4) visits over a 28-day period. Additionally, the investigators also propose to conduct a household-based study of influenza (Family Transmission Study) in which individuals who have a laboratory-confirmed influenza illness will be recruited and enrolled along with their family members for the purpose of studying transmission of influenza within households. Taken together, these studies will establish a longitudinal cohort of ILI among active duty members and their families, as well as a repository of biological specimens relevant to the epidemiology and immunology of infection. Ultimately, these studies will serve as a solid foundation on which future investigations of ARI epidemiology, treatment and prevention can be based.

This is an observational, longitudinal study of ARI/ILI among otherwise healthy active duty military members, retirees, as well as their spouses and dependents. An additional cohort of HIV-infected adults will also be evaluated. We will collect data from clinical findings, medical chart review, and diagnostic, virologic, and immunologic assays to describe the epidemiology and immunology of ARI/ILI. Subject recruitment will take place in both inpatient and outpatient settings of military treatment facilities (MTF) in the continental US. Additionally, subject self-referral will be encouraged through institutional review board (IRB) approved advertisements. Both adults under 65 years of age and children will be eligible for participation. Subjects will be followed for a total of up to 4 visits over a 28±7-day period. After their final visit (Day 28±7 applicable window), participants may only re-enroll into the study after 3 months have passed. Nasal swabs, blood specimens (if consented to), buccal cytobrush samples (if consented to), and rectal swabs (in select subgroups of consenting inpatients) will be collected in order to characterize the etiologic, epidemiologic, and immunologic characteristics of ARI in the study population. In the HIV- positive cohort, additional clinical data and blood will be collected for HIV-specific factors (e.g., CD4 counts, HIV RNA levels) and for additional immunologic studies at days 0 and 28 (± 7) of the study. This is a prospective longitudinal study which will use data from clinical findings, medical chart review, and diagnostic, virologic and immunologic laboratories to describe the epidemiology and immunology of ARI/ILI.